We all have awesome ideas for traditions or fun things to do with our families for holidays like St. Patrick’s Day. So I wanted everyone to be able to share them here. And, if they are frugal or cheap ideas, even better!
It really is amazing what things stick out in your mind from being a kid. When I was little my mom had purchased a box of Pistachio pudding and thrown away the box. It comes in a white pouch. So you didn’t know what it was. When she poured it into a bowl, it looked white. She then read some silly St. Patrick’s Day poem, poured in milk and it “magically” turned green! We all though that was so neat as kids! And, I can’t believe I remember that 20 years later. So these kinds of things you do with your kids really do make a difference.
So what do you do on St. Patrick’s Day to make it fun and memorable?? Leave a comment and share your ideas with everyone!
Peggy
My mom always dyed our milk green every St. Patrick’s Day growing up. She would tell us the leprechaun’s showed up and played a trick on us! Even in high school – we knew our milk would be green on St. Patrick’s Day. Although it always took a few days longer than usual for the milk to get used – since the idea of drinking green milk isn’t so appealing. I still love this tradition and plan on doing this with my kids (none yet, but one on the way – so I’ll get to start this soon!).
Cassie Sanderson
Our tradition involves everyone, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and Friends. The night of St. Patrick’s day, not only do we all gather with wearing our green, we proceed to eat a “Green” dinner. Everything is green, from Ranch colored Green, to grapes, Green Chicken Enchiladas (Even the Taco Shells are green to the Green Enchilada Sauce. Green Salad, Pickles, Celery, to even desert. It is a fun way to gather as friends and family.
Tammy
My 5 kids leave their shoes out and “Patrick, the leprechaun” pays a visit and leaves a trail of chocolate coins and little pins or jewelry or something green. This year he left cute green suckers in different shapes (frog, peace sign, flower, butterfly and skateboard) I found @ Walmart. Yesterday, my 7 yr old’s teacher told the class that, “We all like to pretend, but leprechauns aren’t real”! She said the teacher doesn’t know what she’s talking about, LOL!
Shellie
How sad that your 7-year old’s teacher would tell them that leprechauns aren’t real! My elementary school principal had a bright green suit with a green top hat (I think he even had green shoes!) that he wore every St. Patrick’s Day. The halls and classrooms were covered with leprechaun footprints and he went around and visited every classroom in search of the leprechauns. I’m 33 now and I still remember how excited I would be to see him in his suit!
Bob
My school did the same
Brittney
Growing up my mom would put feet print everywhere!! The mirrors, walls, ceilings and we would have to find where they were leading so that we could find the gold (candy). But those Leperchauns are tricky! I’ve kept the tradition alive with my kids and they love it!
Melanie
I always have something for my daughter from Lenny the Leprechaun. This year he spilled his bag of gold pieces and she had to find them. Once she found them all there was a donut with “leprchaun dust” for her.
Autumn C
I decided to celebrate with my children this year since they are now old enough to understand the fun in it. We read Dr. Seuss “Green Eggs and Ham” and had just that for breakfast. They loved it and have been excited all day about the fun of the holiday.
Cindy
We’ve never really done much for St. Patricks Day, but this year my son was completely convinced that a leprechaun would be visiting our house (and everyone else’s) to mess things up and leave treats. And the leprechaun came! Nothing major, but he switched the kids clothes (put his sisters clothes in his drawers, and his clothes in hers), made cookies, and left us pancake batter for green pancakes (I was hoping he’d cook the pancakes, too, but the kids got up too early).
Briana
My kids decorate a box for the “good” leprechauns to leave gifts in while the “naughty” leprechauns leave them green candy outside while trying to get in the house.
Charlotte
My mom also dyed our milk green. She also dyed our thumbs green and said it was a leprechaun kiss. My kids loved to wake up to that this morning, and thought it was great that the baby had his thumb green too!
Heather
My mom would make us a “green dinner” each year and I carried that tradition over to my family. It’s my favorite…green mashed potatoes, pot roast, brown gravy, green beans, green kool-aid, green jell-o, green salad with cucumbers, green hard rolls (from Macey’s), mint ice-cream for dessert with confetti cupcakes with st.patty’s day decorated top. Served on green plates and st.patty’s napkins….Macey’s also has gold coin candy in their bin candy section…always a hit!
Gina
I have never done anything before on St Patty’s day, but all these fun ideas I jumped on the band wagon. The leprechaun turned our milk green, turned the toilet water green, turned our guinea pig’s water green, knocked over chairs and left a note leading to a pot of gold. Little things, but the kids were thrilled! We had green waffles to top it off. I am definately making this a tradition!
Jessica Scott
We always celebrate St. Patty’s day with a traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner. Complete with Irish Soda bread! And we always had some cute treat with Pistachio and Mint Chip ice cream! Then the whole family watches Finian’s Rainbow!
Dominique
When I was little we used to have a green dinner and I loved it! This year I am making my husband green dinner and I also made green milk and green toilet water. I’m sure he will think i’m silly but our son is too young to understand yet.
Cristal
My kids make traps the night before. We have yet to catch a leprechaun but he always leaves us clues to a stash of golden coins. Then my kids help plan a green dinner-tonight is green eggs and ham, green kool aid, gold jello and breaded shamrocks. I love the holidays with kids!
Debbie
A leprechaun visits our house, too. He ties gold twine all throughout the house, zig-zagging under furniture, around door knobs, through railing, etc. starting at each child’s bedroom door. They must follow the twine to the end where a pot of gold awaits them (black cauldron used from Halloween filled with chocolate coins or sometimes Rolos). You can usually find the gold chocolate coins on clearance after Christmas at Rite Aid or Associated Food stores. This little leprechaun colors everyone’s (including mom, dad, and baby’s) big toe green (using a green marker during the night). We sometimes have Aebleskivers (even though they are Danish) with butterscotch sauce for breakfast. One year, my daughter left a note asking all kinds of questions, so he left a leprechaun quiz, a poem, and picture of himself. The kids love this and look forward to the leprechaun every year!
Robyn
What fun ideas! I will have to implement some of these next year. I’ve tried dyeing the milk green in the past and my kids cried. 🙁 So, I have always just made the kids sack lunches with green items to take to school. I buy the green rolls from Maceys for sandwiches, add green grapes (or a green apple), green sour apple candy (or green M&Ms), and a green box (Tree Top brand) of apple juice. I made some extras for my two who go to daycare to share with their friends and Mom and Dad get a green lunch to take to work too, our co-workers all thought it was great too.
Debora Boyd
Well….St. Patrick’s Day is actually fairly significant to Catholic history. So, we actually went to mass on St. Patrick’s day growing up. This wasn’t too difficult since the church was close to our home and school. I actually kind of liked this because daily mass is a little bit more intimate than Sunday mass and Father’s homily would typically be a nice story about St. Patrick and his Shamrocks and why we pray to Saints and all. It was rather a risk that Patrick took back in the day…which paid off since most people now-a-days put Irish people synonimous with being Catholic.
Kim
I always put a couple drops of green food coloring under my daughters cereal so when i pour on the milk everything turns green because of those sneaky leprechauns. He also leaves a pot of gold for her some where in the house. For dinner I make spaghetti and dye the noddles green (i’m sure you could find some spinach noodles too) and make garlic bread with green butter.
kari
Make green pudding pops! Vanilla pudding with green dye, and freeze in cups with spoons or sticks.
Petey the Leprechaun plays tricks throughout the day or leaves treats .
Sneaks in kids rooms in the night to do things! Hangs clothes silly places, dresses up stuffed animals etc.
Turns breakfast green, tips over chairs, decorates etc.
Pat
We never did anything green, but we always made Corned Beef and Cabbage. To this day I am compelled to make it too. I use the left over meat to make Rueben Sandwiches with lots of sauercraut on rye bread the following day. I have never heard of all this Leprechan stuff before, but it sounds fun too.
Vivian
I don’t have an ounce of Irish in me. I grew up in another part of the world, but my husband and therefore my children have some good IRISH blood. I finally decided it was time I celebrated their heritage and we had a very festive month. From making a kissing tree to “green” cinnamon rolls. And the highlight of it all: our very own St Patty’s photoshoot!